Process and apparatus for classifying crushed ores.



W. F. DEISTER.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING CRUSHBD ORBS.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN.30. 1913.

1 ,07 1,7 1 5. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET1. Fl [3-1- INVENTOR WITNESSES W. P. DEISTER.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING CRUSHED ORES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1913.

1,071,715, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED $TA1ES PATENT QFFIGE,

WILLIAM F. DEISTER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING CRUSHED ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 11913.

Application filed January 30, 1913. Serial No. 745,169.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IVILIJAM l I)EIS'1ER, residing at Fort l/Vayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful. Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Classifying Crushed Ores, o't which inmrovements the followingis a specification.

In obtaining values from mctalliterous ores, it is necessary from a commercial standpoint. to separate the values from foreign materials as far as possible by mechanical means, and to this end the orcs are crushed as finely as possible and the values extracted by concentrating tables. In crushing the materials are not reduced to the same grade of fineness, and it is necessary to separate the coarser material from the finer, as a concentrating table suitable for treating coarse material or sand is not equally etlicient in treating the fine material or slime.

The invention descrlbed herein relates to an improved form of classifier, whereby the materials as they come from the stamps or other comminuting mechanism may be graded according to their respective degrees of comminution.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing myimproved classitier connected to a launder; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification in the arrangement ot' the diaphragms; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a modification in the form of the diaphragms; Fig. t is a top plan view of the classifier; Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of modified forms of diaphragms.

In the practice of the invention the shell 1 preferably formed of cast-iron has its up per end connected to a discharge opening in the launder 2, or conductor or receptacle ot' the crushed materials. The shell 1 is provided with a plurality of diaphragms 3 having openings thercthrough, the openings in one diaphragm being, preferably out of line vertically with those in adjacent diaphragrms and below, and of sufficient size to permit of the tree passage of the coarser material entering the upper end of the shell. It is preferred that the diaphragms should be made :in the form of hollow cones as shown in Figs. 1. and 2, and that these conical diaphragms should be arranged in inverted p sitions as shown in Fig. 1, although they may be placed in the shells with their apices pointing urnvard as shown in Fig. 2. Openinns lare formed through the diaphragms, said opening being pre't'erably elongated and intersecting at the center of the diaphragm. it has been found that the classifier will operate more ctlicicntly, it the openings adjaccut to the periphery of the diaphragms are made somewhat larger than those nearer the center. \Vherc elongated openings or slots are employed, they are gradually increased in width from the center outwardly as shown in Fig. l.

IVhilc the diaphragnls may be supported in the shell in any suitable manner, it is preferred that the inner wall of the latter should be provided with shoulders 5 on which the edges of the diaphragms will rest. To insure the proper place of the diaphragms in the shell especially as regards the staggering of the openings in adjacent diaphragms a rib 6 is formed on the inner wall of the shell to engage properly arranged notches in the peripheries of the diaphragm.

The area of the discharge opening 7 in the lower end of the shell will be varied in accordance with the quantity of coarse materials which are to be fed to the sand table. At a suitable point preferably intermediate the outlet and the lowest diaphragm the shell is provided with one or more water inlets 8. It is preferred that the water should enter the shell opposite the blank portions of the conical diaphragm so that the solid materials passing down through the slots will not be materially diverted from their line of movement.

In the operation of the classifier a portion of the crushed material which is mixed with suilicient water to insure its movement along the launder passes down into the shell and through the openings in the diaphragms. At the same time suflicient water is admitted tlll'flllfll'l the inlet 8 to insure an upward [low of water, the rate or force of this up ward movement being adjusted in accordance with the grade of material to be discharged from the outlet of any particular classifier of the series, which is customary with the launder. It will be understood that as the rate of the upward [low of water is increased only such portions of the material in a more or less compact stream.

have sutlicient size and weight to overcome the upward pressure of water will pass on down through the diaphragm and outlet. As the coarse and fine material are thor oughly mixed as they enter the classifier, and the fine portions will adhere to the coarse, the staggered path of the material through the shell will afiford opportunity for the washing the line portions oil of the coarser.

The water flowing up through the shell will carry with it the finer material, the amount and grade of material so carried being dependent on the rate of upward flow. The water and the materials thus carried up will enter the launder and pass on down to the next classifier.

As shown in Fig. 3 flat diaphragms may be employed and when used some of the material will bank up as indicated and thus give to some extent the guiding effect of the conical diaphragms.

It will be understood that the water should not be admitted under such pressure or have such a rate of upward flow as will produce material agitation, as the main function of the water is to prevent the downward movement of the finer material with as little interference as possible with the downward movement of the coarser materials.

As is well known finely divided material will move down through a liquid more slowly when its constituents are more or less separated than if in a more or less compact mass. This characteristic action .is taken advantage of in the practice of my invention. hen the crushed material drops into one of the conical diaphragms the constituent parts are directed to the openings or slots, through which they pass /Vhen passing from one diaphragm to another, the stream of crushed materials will be more or less disrupted by the water moving in the reverse direction but the separated or loosened materials will be gathered together again by the second diaphragm; The water in passing up through the lots will be more effective in resisting the downward movement of the crushed materials, but such increased resistance is overcome by the gathe'ing of the material into more or less compact streams as above described.

It will be readily understood that as the solid material cannot pass down below the diaphragm except through the openings, through which the water must also pass up, the solid particles are collected into comparatively dense streams when moving through the openings in which they meet the water, the upward movement of which will be accelerated due to the difference between the transverse area of the shell and the areas of the openings through the diaphragm. By reason ofthis collecting of the solid materials into relatively dense streams and the acceleration in the How of water, the solid materials are subjected to a very effective washing action. The jet like action of the water in passing through the openings has a double effect. t will cause the heavy solid particles to spread out after they have passed through the openings, into those portions of the body of water below the diaphragms having a slower upward movement, and the light particles washed fro ii the heavy particles by the accelerated jets, will be carried upward so as to be caught and carried along by the upward movement of the water to the openings in the next diaphragm. By arranging the openings in the adjacent diaphragms out of line vertically the dispersive action of the water jets due to the openings will move the particles into line with the openings in adjacent diaphragms.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. A classifier having in combination, a shell having an outlet at its lower-rend, a diaphragm extending across the she'lhmeans for introducing water into the shellat a point intermediate the outlet-and the diaphragm, the diaphragm having openings therethrough for the downward movement of the solid materials and the upward flow of the water, and means for gravitally directing the solid materials into said openings.

2. A classifier for crushed materials having in combination, a shell having an outlet at its lower end, a series of diaphragms having openings therethrough arranged transverse of the shell, the openings in adj acent' means for causing an upward flow of water thr ugh the shell, the water being admit-ted into the shell ata point intermediate the outlet and the diaphragm; 7

4. A classifier for crushed materials having in combination, a shell having an outlet at'its lower end, a series of conical diaphragms having intersecting slots therethrough arranged transverse of the shell, with their slots out of line vertically, and means for causing an upward flow of water through the shell, the water being admitted into the shell at a point intermediate the outlet and the diaphragms.

5. As an improvement in the art of classitying crushed materials, the method herein described, which consists in discharging streams, and then dispersing the latter by crushed materials into an upwardly moving accelerating the movement of the Water. 10 body of Water, dividing said material into In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set downwardly flowing streams, dispersing my hand.

such streams laterally by an acceleration of WILLIAM F. DEISTER. the rate of movement of portions of the up- Witnesses:

wardly moving water, causing the dispersed ALICE A. TRILL,

materials to gravit-ally converge into other T1-Ios. B. JOYCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

